Is it time?
Every now and then, my long-suffering1 spouse will look up from reading the news and say “is it time?” This is shorthand for “is it time to sell the house and get the heck out of this province?”
Our answer - to date - is always ‘no.’ After almost thirty years, this place is home.
But the Angus Reid poll released today tells us that we’re not the only ones having this conversation. Of the 65% of respondents who were inclined to vote “stay” in a referendum, three-quarters say they would pack their bags and leave if the “leave” side were to win a referendum. That’s roughly half the population thinking of trading sunshine and low taxes for cloudier skies and stability.
And this is why holding a referendum is a terrible, no-good, really-stupid, potentially-disasterous idea. Even if only a fraction of people are rattled enough by a referendum to decide to beat the rush, put their home on the market, and head for stability, they are a reminder that instability has consequences. Investments not made. Talent not recruited to the province.
Premier Smith maintains that it’s essential that the 30% of Albertans who would or might vote to leave have an opportunity to “blow off steam.” The other 70% are expected to stand by and watch this display indulgently. Today’s poll suggests that these folks are less inclined to blowing off steam and more inclined to packing their bags. It’s a pity the Premier isn’t as concerned about them.
Spouse: “Why long-suffering? Why not “tall and handsome?” Readers, he is both.
Thank you for this, Lisa. Count us (we are both semi-retired academics living in Lethbridge) among those having the identical conversation. Your last sentence in particular really resonates.
The Premier's active, and her tacit, support of the separatists in her party, and seemingly her caucus, is certainly not having a positive impact on our economy or future and the oxygen they have provided to the separatists seems to suggest she's hoping their petition succeeds.
I am anxious to see what she does about the successful Forever Canadian petition and whether the 456,000 of us who signed that are of any importance to her and her spineless, prevaricating, caucus?
As a native Albertan I am not thinking of moving as I have immense faith that, should the separatist's watered down petition result in a referendum, that Albertans will choose Canada overwhelmingly, but we can't lazily make that assumption, and do nothing to promote the pro Canada position 🇨🇦! Faith alone is not a strategy! 🍁